The Importance of Having Storm Damaged Roofing Repaired as Quickly as Possible

Natural storms such as severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes that roar up the coast and come inland have a ferocious ability to cause damage to residential roofing. High winds, hail, and flying debris including tree limbs are all potentially hazardous. As soon as is reasonably possible following every severe storm, a home's roof should be examined for damage by a roofing contractor or by the homeowner himself.

If a home has storm damaged roofing, even minor damage, it often causes significant interior damage to a home's ceilings. If conducting an examination for exterior damage yourself, look first in your yard and even in adjacent properties to see if you notice shingles, flashing, vents or other roofing materials that might have been blown off. Walk around the exterior of your house, and look for anything that might have blown against or fallen onto the roof such as tree branches.

Broken Shingles

Take a broom, and go up on the roof. Sweep away the leaf debris and pine straw that may hide damaged roof areas. Look for branches sticking up from a hole in the roof and missing, loose, dented, curling or broken shingles. If you have asphalt shingles, look for dark spots where the tar coated granules have been knocked off by hail; they will look like bruises or dents. Look, too, for insecure fixtures that might have been loosened by the wind such as vents or chimneys. Another way to check for damage is to go into your attic during the daytime and look for places where the daylight shows through small cracks or holes. Notice if your insulation is wet, or if there is water on the floor.

Regardless of the amount of damage you find, you should repair your home as soon as possible by calling a qualified, licensed roofing contractor to do your storm damage repairs before time and additional weather cause your problems to grow. Cover the damaged area with a tarp weighted down by bricks until the contractor arrives. Document the damage with dated photographs for your insurance company, and if necessary, ask your roofing contractor to meet with your insurance adjuster. Your roofing contractor is the most knowledgeable person to discuss the extent of damage with your insurance company. He will be knowledgeable about such changes in the industry as the discontinuation of T-lock shingles. Because these shingles are no longer manufactured and cannot be fixed, the chances are great that if your roof is shingled with this product, you will qualify for a full roof replacement.

Damaged Areas

Having your roof repaired as quickly as possible cannot be over stressed. Even if you cover the damaged areas, a new storm can blow away tarps and penetrating water will cause your repair problems to rapidly multiply. Once water penetrates to the interior of your home you're looking at interior as well as exterior repairs, and costs begin to increase. Water which penetrates through to a room's ceiling will not only necessitate repair, but will also lead to the need for repainting, and could even damage your home's furnishings. When it comes to roofing repairs, time is of essence, and procrastination will not be rewarded!